Yankees Hold on in 7-6 Win over Threshers
August 9, 2015 - Florida State League (FSL1)
Tampa Yankees News Release
Mike Ford of the Tampa Yankees Rounds the Bases
(Tampa Yankees, Credit: Mark LoMoglio)
TAMPA - Trailing early, 4-0, the Tampa Yankees (20-23, 54-59) tallied seven unanswered runs and held off a late push by the Clearwater Threshers (26-18, 63-51) to win, 7-6, on Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Tampa took the series win, 2-1.
Clearwater scored four runs in the first two innings against RHP Gabriel Encinas. Jesmuel Valentin walked to begin the game and, later, scored on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Cozens. The Threshers loaded the bases in the second and scored their second run on a wild pitch. Valentin lined a two-run double to right-center before RHP Luis Niebla entered and recorded the final out.
The Yankees cut the deficit in half with a pair of runs in the second. Mike Ford and Miguel Andujar each singled, placing runners on the corners. Kyle Higashioka plated Ford with a groundout to shortstop and Jake Skole grounded an RBI single into center, scoring Andujar.
Abiatal Avelino reached on an infield single to begin the third against Clearwater starter David Whitehead. One batter later, Ford crushed a game-tying, two-run home run over the wall in right-center. It was Ford's third home run of the year.
Whitehead walked Dustin Fowler and Ford to start the fifth before RHP Alexis Rivero entered in relief. After a pop out by Andujar, Higashioka walked, loading the bases. Skole then grounded out to first and Fowler beat a play at the plate, giving Tampa a 5-4 lead.
The T-Yanks added what proved to be two very big insurance runs in the later innings. Following a pair of one-out walks, Ericson Leonora hit an RBI ground-rule double in the seventh. Jorge Mateo hit a leadoff triple in the eighth and, later, beat a play at the plate on a fielder's choice grounder by Fowler.
RHP Angel Rincon inherited a 7-4 lead, in search of the save in the ninth. Clearwater loaded the bases and scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Tocci. Another run scored on an error at shortstop by Mateo. Rincon stranded the bases loaded, retiring Aaron Brown on a fly out to left, to end the game and secure his seventh save.
Whitehead (7-10) took the loss for Clearwater, allowing five runs on seven hits in four innings. The right-hander walked three batters and struck out four.
Niebla (2-5) tossed three and a third scoreless relief innings for the win, scattering a pair of singles. The righty struck out two and did not surrender a walk. RHP Chance Adams tallied three scoreless frames in his High-A debut, allowing three hits.
Mateo (2-for-4, BB) scored the eventual winning run in the eighth. Ford (2-for-4, HR, BB, 2 RBI) scored two runs. Leonora (2-for-3, 2B, BB, RBI) and Higashioka (1-for-2, BB, HBP, RBI, R) reached base three times each.
Up next, the Yankees host the Brevard County Manatees for a three-game series beginning on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-4, 3.39 ERA) is set to face RHP Jorge Ortega (8-7, 2.45 ERA).
On Uncle Bob's Self Storage Military Monday's, all military receive FREE admission with valid military I.D. All fans can enjoy half price burgers & chicken tender baskets from 6-8pm. The Free military ticket can only be received at the Steinbrenner Field box office.
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 Mike Ford of the Tampa Yankees Rounds the Bases (Mark LoMoglio) |
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